We find ourselves in front of an old house where the Leviathan Axe was lodged in the ground when suddenly a powerful gust of wind blew the battle axe out of the ground through a glowing door.
Through the door we find ourselves in the Boiling Isles as the Leviathan Axe flew into Ardyn's hand and the Owl House Title logo appeared.
Iki wo sutte haitara kurushii koto
Kizu ga hitotsu fueru tabi ikiteiru koto
Looking around Ardyn sees the Owl House with Hooty and King watching Eda teaching Luz magic.
Tsukaifurusareta sonna kanshou mo itsuka kitto
Yoru ni tokete kieru
We then find ourselves at Hexide as Willow and Gus wave at them while Amity merely looks away with a small blush on her face.
"No enough" yugandatte
"No escape" machigattatte
"No fear" koroge mawatte
Susumeba iin deshou
As Eda struggles to fight off the curse she briefly fights off the feathers before we see Romani chained up against the wall before a large shadow grows.
Looking up they saw Emperor Belos glaring down at them with staff at the ready and all his coven ready to attack. Standing behind him is a shadowed figure with a demented grin on his face.
Sore wa marude shinwa no you na
Iro, katachi no jubunairu
Spinning her staff Eda creates a powerful blast blowing the guards away before Lilith leaps in and the two sisters clash making magic explode all around them. From the smoke Ardyn, Luz, Amity, Willow and Gus ran towards the top.
Summoning an ice glyph Luz makes a bridge of ice allowing Amity's abomination to charge forward ramming them away as Willow made a road of vines for Ardyn to run ahead.
Ibitsu na mama hibiwareteiru
Kono sekai de hitotsu kagayaku
Kirei na tsuki
Running to the top, Ardyn and Emperor Belos clashes axe and staff before the shadowed figure fires a powerful blast knocking Ardyn back.
Holding out his hand a gilded sword forms in Ardyn's hand before he thrusts his weapon clashing with Belos and the shadowed figured creating a bright light.
FATE/BOILING ISLES
Book 1
Chapter 7: Lost in Fated Language.
It was another calm day in the Owl House. No danger, no running from the guards, and no magic training...again.
So, to pass the time, Ardyn and Luz did their own things. Ardyn was standing in front of the coach, looking at his hands. Taking a deep breath before clapping his hands together and using a power spell. Approaching the coach, he grabbed it at the bottom and started to lift while Luz was reading his copy of The Good Witch Azura Volume 5 to King. This time getting it just above his shoulders.
"Alright! Getting better," he said with a grin and placed the coach down gently. Luz and King didn't mind, too focused on the book. She was borrowing it from her best friend, who is the original owner.
"'Our paths have crossed only in battle.' Hecate began. 'But today I stand before you seeking an ally.'" Luz read to King, before sighing in content.
"Luz, you're getting all swoony again," said King
"She always gets like that with that book," Ardyn said, sitting down on the coach.
"I can't help it. Azura can befriend everyone. Even her biggest rival. I wish I had that kind of power," Luz said.
"You know that only happens in anime, right?" Ardyn commented. The biggest culprit in his option was Fairy Tail. "I mean, if we had that power, Amity would be our friend by now."
"Must sound nice." Romani said as he walked into the living room with a small smile on his face while King scoffed.
"Rivals are meant to be annihilated, not befriended." King said, trying to sound wise before he started wagging his tail. "Now keep reading. I've been sucked into your awful fandom."
"Okay." Luz opened the book and continued reading out loud. "'Suddenly the door swung open.'"
Suddenly the door swung open, by Hooty. "Ding‐dong. Ding. Hoot! Hoot! Miyamoto is back!" He yelled, taking them all by surprise.
"The book has come to life! Burn it!" King yelled, pointing at the door.
"No," Ardyn said, taking his book back from Luz. The two friends then walked over to the door and saw Musashi carrying a basket with a blanket tucked in. "What's with the basket?"
"Don't know. It was there before Hooty opened up."
"Kids! What's going on over there?" Eda called from inside the kitchen.
"Eda, you got a package!" Ardyn said as Musashi walked in and Luz closed the door. The two teens plus King, Musashi and Romani walked into the kitchen, where the Saber Servant placed the basket down on the counter.
"It looks like a gift basket," Luz said with a smile.
"Probably an offering. Ah! Being the most powerful witch in the Boiling Isles has its perks," Eda boasted as King tied a bib around his neck. Reaching for the blanket, the little demon grunted as he pulled it off the top of the basket.
However, to their surprise, inside was a snoring baby with blue hair.
"Mm. Fresh meat." King said excitedly as he rubbed his paws together.
*BONK!*
"WEH!"
"Oh, hell no, King!" Ardyn said, bonking him on the head and pulling the basket away from King. "You're not eating a baby!"
"Witches eating babies is so 1693. What is this?" Eda said, looking at the baby.
"There's a note," Luz said, grabbing the note attached to the basket while King rubbed his head. "'Take care of my child till morning. Yi Yi?'"
"Nope. Babies are awful. Not happening," Eda said, crossing her arms.
"'You will be handsomely rewarded. X‐O‐X‐O‐X‐O‐X. Bat Queen.'"
"Bat Queen?" Eda asked, as King pulled a few snails out of the basket. They were gold coins that were the currency of the Boiling Isle. Eda's eyes widened. "Reward~?"
"Who's the Bat Queen?" Ardyn asked, with Luz and Miyamoto also curious.
King sniffed the snails as Eda explained the Bat Queen to the kids. "She's the wealthiest demon on the Boiling Isles. Get in with her and you're set for life," she said, taking one of the snails. "So, we keep this thing alive for a few hours and we get paid. Pfft. Easy."
"Our greatest adventure yet! Learning about love and life through a child's eyes," Luz said happily.
"Sounds like you read to many parenting books, kiddo!" Miyamoto said with a grin as Luz awkwardly chuckles.
"Not you. You and Ardyn must return the books Romani and I checked out from the library," Eda said, drawing a spell circle and summoning a pile of books to fall down, which Ardyn and Luz caught.
"Ah, what!? How come we can't take care of the baby!" Ardyn said as he managed to keep the balance. "These are your books!"
"Because life isn't fair, now go on," Eda said, waving him off. She then whispered to King. "I don't want them getting a cut of the loot."
"Good thinking," King said.
"You know we can hear you right?" Eda and King looked up to see that Ardyn and Luz were still there, with the Hybrid giving the witch the sink eye.
"...No you can't."
Ardyn deadpanned at her before looking at Romani. "Romani, can you handle this and make sure they don't kill the baby?" he said as the male Witch nodded.
"You sure?" Luz asked.
"It'll just be a quick run to the library and back. Trust me, We can handle it," Ardyn said, walking to the back door with her and Miyamoto.
"Ugh! Fine," Eda groaned as her nephew-figure opened the door with his right hand while balancing the books on his left. He walked out of the house with Luz and Miyamoto and the door closed behind him. "Now, let's take a look at this little darling."
Eda fully took the blanket off, revealing the baby had the head of a human, but the wings and legs of a bat. The baby bat suddenly started screeching, causing the entire house to shake.
"Argh!" Eda and Luz yelled and covered their ears in pain.
"Oh, boy," King said, falling onto his back.
The baby bat continued screeching as Eda looked at Luz. "We got this, right?" She asked, before the baby bat suddenly flew out of the basket and into Eda's face. Making her fall on her ass.
At that moment, Romani realized this was going to be a long day.
"I sure hope Romani is doing okay with Eda and the baby," Luz said in concern.
"Eh. They'll be fine." Ardyn said to Luz with a small smile on his face. Using the power spell made it much easier for Ardyn to carry the pile of books as he walked through the streets of Bonesborough. It was another sunny day on the Boiling Isle, with demons, witches, and wizards going about their business.
"He's right. Romani-dono will make sure she take care of the baby." Musashi said with a smile on her face.
As they continued walking, the Hybrid realized that he honestly didn't know where the library was and was starting to become lost. Stopping to look around, he noticed Tiny Nose walking past him. Carrying a book as big as herself. Ardyn stopped her when he said, "Hey, excuse me. Do you know where the library is?"
"Oh yeah. It's just right there," Tiny Nose said, turning to face the direction she was talking about. Ardyn, Luz, and Musashi looked and saw that they was closer to it than they originally thought. The library was right across the street from the two. It was an impressive sight, being much larger than his old library and much more majestic.
"Whoa! Thanks!" Luz said as she and Ardyn walked towards the library.
"You're welcome. See you around, you guys," Tiny Nose happily said to the boy that saved her. But then her arms gave out and she was flatted underneath the book. "...dang it."
Ardyn and Luz walked up the stairs of the library, before entering its halls while taking in all that there was to see. Torches decorated the walls; stained glass windows brightened the corridors as readers and patrons went about their business. It wasn't anything he hasn't read or seen in the Harry Potter movies, but it was just as amazing to see.
"Now this is a library," Ardyn commented with an impressed look, before the book pile glowed green and began floating out of his arms towards a wizard with a bored expression on his face. Each book flew through a spell circle, which turned red with the word "LATE" appearing above it for the ones Eda checked out while Romani's was green with the word "ON TIME" as they disappeared with a beep.
"Late. Late. On Time. On Time" the librarian said, before grabbing the last book. Ardyn and Luz walked up to the front desk as he examined it. "Coffee, grass, and bloodstains? These are Eda's and Romani's, aren't they?"
"Yeah, sorry about that. It was a crazy night," Luz said, scratching the back of her head.
The librarian let out an irked sigh. "I'll put them on her tab," he said, summoning a small scroll that unfurled into a large list before writing on it. "By the way, we're closing early for the Wailing Star meteor shower. Can you please inform Romani that book club is canceled for tonight." The librarian pointed behind him to a framed picture of the Wailing Star. The picture showed a blue star with a sad face on it falling from the night sky.
"What's a Wailing Star?" Ardyn asked the librarian.
"You're in a library. Read a book," he said with a deadpan expression as the scroll rolled up and disappeared.
"…Okay I walked into that one." Ardyn said as he, Luz, Musashi walked away from the librarian.
They walked around the corner and looked up at a banner reading "Demon Decimal System. DO NOT FEED." Ardyn looked at and saw a Dewey Decimal System, but each card catalog had the face of a growling monster. He bent down in front of them before a mischievous smirk crossed his face.
Pulling out a gumball, the young boy feeds it to one of the DDS monsters. It gladly chewed on for a few seconds before barfing up a tone of notecards on him. Ardyn and Luz laughed as they fell onto the floor with a smile.
"Having fun?"
"Yeah… wait a minute?" Ardyn said as the Trio looked up, only to see someone staring down at them. they let out a short cry of surprise and quickly sat upright. "Whoa!"
Standing in front of them was Ryker with a big shit eating grin on his face. "Hey there!"
"Hey Ryker! Good to see you man!" Ardyn said as Luz looked a bit confused. "Oh, right you two haven't met yet. Luz, Musashi this is Ryker, someone I met at the Covention. Ryker, this is Luz and Musashi, my friend and recent companion."
"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Luz. I guess this is your first time here?" Ryker said with a smile on his face as the two teens nodded. "Okay! How about I show you around."
Ardyn, Luz, and Ryker walked together through the library. Walking past multiple floating books that flew above them, much to the Hybrid's amazement. Smiling Luz reached out to grab one but ended up getting pulled up.
"Aaah! Ardyn! The books have me!" Luz screams.
"Luz!" Ardyn yells grabbing her leg but ends up getting yanked with her. "Damnit!"
"Shush!" Someone said from below.
"Sorry." They both said as Ryker and Musashi chuckled as the Male Witch casted a spell to place them back to the ground.
They then entered a study area, where several Hexisde students were watching things on crystal balls, which remained the hybrid of computers in public libraries. One was watching a "HOW TO FLY" video, another was watching a piano cat parody, and a third was stuck on a loading screen, dial-up internet noises emitting from it, making the witch slap the crystal ball a few times.
"This place is amazing," Ardyn commented, before a voice made him and the others stop.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Aah we've been caught!" Luz said as she hid behind Ardyn when they suddenly heard laughing.
"Wait a minute? Why does that voice sound familiar?" Ardyn said as he, Luz, Musashi and Ryker walked over to what looks like the kids' area. However, to his utter shock and surprise, the voice from before belonged to Amity Blight. The same girl that bullied Willow, tried to have Luz dissected, and how he's had a rivalry with her since the incident at the covention.
That same Amity was reading to a group of baby-class students from Hexside.
"'We're your friends and we want to help,' said the Tin Boy with a yelp. Otabin smiled and paced the floor. 'I've never had real friends before.'" She read with a smile on her face.
"Amity reading to kids?" Ardyn whispered in disbelief at what he was seeing. Slowly, he and the others snuck into the kid's corner as Amity read. Hiding behind a small shelf and watching the green-haired witch.
"'Then we'll be your first,' the Chicken Witch clucked. Otabin couldn't believe his luck. So, Bookmaker Otabin, surrounded by friends, bound a book of friendship' and that's the end." Amity closed the book as the kids clapped happily for her.
"Wow, I didn't think Amity was capable of smiling like that," Ardyn said, noting how there wasn't a hint of smugness or arrogance in that smile. He'd even admit she looked pretty when she smiled. Luz gasps as she just discovered something great.
"Maybe we can befriend her like Azura befriended her rival." Luz said as Ardyn sighed.
"As much as I think that is nice, but your track record with her says otherwise." Musashi said as Luz looked at her with a pout.
"She's coming this way." Ryker said as they hid behind the manga shelf as the kids came his way. Ardyn and Luz grabbed one of the mangas and pretended to read it as the kids passed on by.
"Thank you so much." One kid said when a red demon kid hugged Amity's leg.
"Good‐bye, Miss Amity. Thank you." It said in a deep voice.
"Thank you, Braxus. See you next time." Amity smiles as Braxus ran off with a cheer. The girl turned to the manga section, but she was shocked to see that it was Ardyn, Luz, Musashi, and Ryker. "You two… Ryker!?" she said, before recomposing herself.
"'Sup." Ryker said with a wave.
"Haha, hey, Amity." Luz nervously said and put the manga back as she stood up.
"What do you think you two are doing here?" Amity asked, sounding very displeased with their presence.
"Nothing. I was just returning books Eda had out and wanted to explore the library." Ardyn answered honestly, frowning slightly.
Amity's glare lessened but she still didn't look happy to see him. "Well, it was...nice of you to help your mentor," she said hesitantly, turning away from him before walking back to where she was reading to the kids.
"So, Amity, I'm surprised to see you again. And reading to kids, nonetheless," Luz said as she followed her. "Looks like this ice queen has a hidden soft side to her."
"It's for extra credit. Don't get your leggings in a bunch," Amity said, picking a book off the floor.
"No, I think it's really cool. You know, back home, I used to read to kids a lot. No one else wanted to do it, so I volunteered. It was fun. If you want, we could team up reading to the kids. I can do a lot of voices," Ardyn suggested. His monster and robot voices were pretty good.
But this only made Amity grow annoyed and slammed her pile of books on a table. "Human! Hybrid!" She yelled, facing Ardyn and Luz. "Do you see me going to the Owl Shack and bugging you while you... fry up owls?"
"Wait, what?" Luz asked with a raised eyebrow.
She scoffed in response. "Okay, I don't really know what you and your human friend do there, but every time you come near me, I get in trouble."
"But we didn't mean to get you in trouble," Ardyn said with a frown.
"I don't care! Just leave me alone!" Amity suddenly shouted, making Ardyn back up from her.
"Fine. I'm sorry," Luz said sadly, both her and Ardyn turning to the entrance of the kid's corner and walking away. Not see Amity starting to raise her hand to stop them but doesn't.
Ardyn sighed and thrust his fists into his pockets. "So much for making amends," he said to himself.
"Don't let it bother you two. You tried, but you shouldn't worry about it." Musashi said with a grin as the two teen returned the smile with their own as Ryker nodded at wisdom of what the Heroic Spirit of the Sword just said.
"I agree with her." said a voice. Ardyn and Luz looked over and saw two teens two years older looking at them. They were a girl and a boy, but judging by their similarities in appearance, they were likely twins. Both had dark sea-green hair, golden eyes, and pale skin with a mole under one of their eyes and black eyebrows. They were also wearing the 'Illusion track' school uniform, just like Gus. The boy, who was leaning against a bookcase, had short hair. His sister on the other hand had longer hair that was tied in a bulky plait, which was darker at the bottom.
"Who are you two?" Ardyn asked as they walked up to him. The brother holding a rabbit lunch bag.
"Well‐wishers on a mission." the guy said, placing a hand on his chest.
"A noble quest." the girl added as she leaned to Ardyn and Luz before pulling back to look at Ryker with a small smile on her face.
"Watch this. Hey, Mittens!" the teenage boy called out to Amity. With her back turned to them, Amity blushed like crazy with anger and embarrassment upon getting called by that name. Ardyn, Ryker, Musashi and Luz did his best to hold back a snicker as the older boy held up the lunch bag. "Mom says stop forgetting your lunch. And stop being a jerk to your friend."
"Wait, mom?" Ardyn asked.
Amity stalked over and snatched the bag. "They are not my friends," she said, glaring at Ardyn and Luz.
The Hybrid frowned at her while Luz looked down with a sad look on her face when Amity's sister moved to his and Luz side and placed her arms around them. "Yeah, makes sense. They seem too cool for you," she said with a smile.
"We are?"
"You can leave now. All of you." she growled in annoyance, before walking back into the kid's corner.
"Amity, wait," Ardyn said with a slightly pleading look in his eyes. Amity stopped with her back facing him. "I don't want to be your enemy. I never have. And I get that things haven't been the best between us, but I want to put that all behind us and become friends. We don't need to keep hating each other. Just...please give me a chance." He smiled hopefully, wishing for her to say yes.
But after staying silent for a moment, with her back facing him, Amity said, "Just stay away from me."
Ardyn's hopeful expression dropped as his nemesis marched away into the kids' corner. He sighed sadly, having hoped to smooth out their rocky relationship. With no reason to stick around, Ardyn turned and walked away with Luz following him.
As she walked over to where she read to the kids, Amity stopped and looked over her shoulder. Her face expressed a level of shame. Amity watched Ardyn walking away with his head down and Luz with a look of concern on her face. She sighed sadly. Despite her best effort, she couldn't help but feel guilt within her for how she treated them. Trying to push those thoughts out of her head, Amity went back to work.
"Y'know Amity. You could try to give them a chance." A voice spoke up as Amity turned to Ryker who was leaning on a bookshelf with a frown on his face. "It could do you better to have real friends again than the ones your parents forced on you… Just give it some thought."
With that said, Ryker left Amity alone in the kids area, who had a sad look on her face.
Ardyn walked with Luz and Miyamoto through the library, about to head to the exit when the twins from before walked up beside them. Already sour and upset from his interaction with their younger sibling, he was in no mood to talk. "Is there something I can help you with?" he asked bitterly.
"Not really. We just wanted to formally meet the human and hybrid we've heard so much about," the guy said as they came to a stop. "You're Ardyn and Luz, right?"
"You've heard of us?" Luz asked with wide eyes.
"It's hard not to," the girl said with a smile. "I'm Emira. And this is Edric. We're Amity's older siblings. We heard how you embarrassed her at the school and the witch covention last week. No wonder she hates you."
"I know. But we didn't mean to do any of it on purpose." Ardyn said, looking at the floor sadly.
"Yeah! I thought we were as cool as cucumbers. But we're as sour as pickles." Luz said in a sad tone.
"Don't waste your time with Mittens. Me and Ed, we're way more fun. Follow us," Emira said as she grabbed his wrist. The five of them walk off, with Ardyn looking down at where Emira was holding his wrist. Luz and Musashi saw this as well and felt that something was... off.
First, Edric wiped away the "NON" part of the "FICTION" and "NON-FICTION" sign before running over to where Ardyn, Musashi, Luz,, Ryker and Emira were hiding. Just then, a second librarian walked up, leading a group of patrons.
"And here we go towards our nonfiction section." He stopped and gasped when he saw the sign. "Fiction. Fiction! Is our world but fiction!? Then what in my life is real anymore!?" He started sobbing.
The next prank involved the first Librarian, who was reading while shelving books. As he placed one on the shelf, Emira used her magic and the book started glowing blue, before flying back onto the re-shelving cart. This happens several times as she, Edric, Ryker, Musashi, Luz and Ardyn all laughed quietly. Edric then switched the places of the first Librarian and the second one, who was up on a ladder. "Huh? No! Not again!" The second librarian broke down sobbing while the first librarian fell off a ladder.
The third thing they did involve the demon decimal system. First, Edric held up a dusty book, before He blew the dust at the demon decimal system, which all sneezed, showering the area with notecards.
"Whoo!" Ardyn cheered as they all laughed together and the twins high-fived. Ardyn, Luz and Ryker fell down to the floor and started making a snow angel in the notecards, while Musashi laughed at what she was seeing, before sitting up. "Alright, this has been great and all, but I've got to get back home. I can't be gone too long." Ardyn said as Luz and Musashi nodded.
"Hey!" The group turned around and saw Amity standing next to the first librarian, both of them with their arms crossed.
"Wait. Where's Gary?" the librarian asked.
"Coming." Gary, the second librarian, came running over before breaking down when he saw the mess. "Nooo!"
Ardyn, Luz, Ryker, Musashi and the twins were shoved out of the door of the library. "You've made reading far too fun. Now, stay out," the library said before slamming the door shut on them.
"That's because you guys are allergic to fun." Ryker said as the group looked at the door for a second before the twins started laughing as Ryker punches Ardyn's shoulder, who didn't look as happy.
"Well, that's the second library I've been banned from and now Amity hates me even more now," Ardyn said, facepalming. "I didn't think that was possible."
"Maybe, but at least she's not mad at you," Edric said as Ardyn looked at him with a raised brow. "When Mittens gets mad, she looks like this." Edric inhaled a sharp breath of air and puffed his cheeks, grunting as he made an angry face that turned red before exhaling and stumbling. "Whoa, I almost passed out."
"Right, well, we better get going," Ardyn said as Luz and Musashi nodded.
Just as the three was about to walk away, Emira and Edric nod at each other. "Hey, wait a minute," Emira said, stopping the two in their tracks. "You know, you're pretty fun, for a human and hybrid."
"...okay." Luz nodded.
"Maybe you can help us with something."
"Depends on what that something is," Ardyn said, frowning and crossing his arms.
"You see, we're coming back tonight. There's a certain book we forgot to... check out," she said, leaning forward to him.
"And bonus, rumor has it the Wailing Star's supposed to unlock some rare magical event. You in, friend?" Edric asked, doing the same pose as his sister. Ardyn hated it when twins did that. It just gave him a bad vibe about them.
"I don't know. Breaking and entering a library isn't something I wanted to do," Ardyn said, before thinking about it some more. "Then again, I've been wanting to know more about the Wailing Star… ah what the hell, I'm in."
"Same here!" Luz said as Ardyn looked at her with a raised brow. "What? There's no way I'm going to miss this."
"Might as well join in. Make sure you two don't get into trouble!" Musashi said as she rubbed the tops of their heads with a grin.
"Great! Meet back here at midnight. See you guys tonight," Emira said, winking at the two teens. Ardyn and Luz blushed as she and her brother turned and walked away. Waving goodbye.
"See you guys later." Ryker said as he heads back home as well.
"Well, I guess befriending Amity was a bust. But at least I'll be friends with her siblings," Ardyn said with a smile before walking away.
However, Ardyn, Luz, Ryker, Musashi and the Blight twins were completely unaware that Amity was standing around the corner, having seen the whole thing. Just as Edric said, she held her breath and growled in anger until her face turned red. Forcing her to stop and gasp for air. "Phew! Almost passed out."
When Ardyn opened the door for him, Musashi and Luz, he had a smile on his face as he said, "Hey, y'all!"
"SSH!" Romani quickly rushed over and placed his hand over Ardyn mouth with a finger to his lips. He looked exhausted, with hair messed up and noticeable dark spots under his eyes. "You'll wake the baby."
Ardyn, Musashi and Luz looked to see Eda and King on the couch in a scenario he never thought he'd see. King having pillows strapped to his head was normal by their standards, but the Owl Lady cradling the bat bady? That was something else.
"Aw, Aunt Eda, I never knew you could be so motherly," Ardyn said with a smile.
"Say that again and I'll steal your tongue," said the old woman.
Romani turned back to Ardyn with a curious look. "So, what took you guys so long? You were gone for almost half the day," he said as Ardyn closed the door.
"It was interesting, to say the least. Amity works there and it turns out she has a bit of a soft spot. She still hates me and Ardyn, but I also go to meet her brother and sister," Luz said with a smile.
"Really?"
"Yeah, they even invited me and Luz to sneak back into the library for a book they need," Ardyn said, grabbing his backpack and putting it on with Luz doing the same.
"You're going to break into the library at night?" Eda asked, before wiping away a fake tear. "I'm so proud of you."
"Aw, your day sounded so cool. I'm so jealous," King said, pouting.
"What are you talking about?" Ardyn said, walking over to Eda "You got to hang out with a cute little baby."
"Don't let him fool you, Ardyn. He's a real monster," said Romani as he moved away from the bat baby.
"If Romani wasn't here to teach us how to calm him down, we'd be going insane about now," Eda groaned.
"It couldn't have been that bad." Musashi said as she leaned down and lightly poked the baby's cheek. This however woke it up and the baby suddenly barfed out a smaller version of itself, which did the same and barfed out an even smaller version of itself. Making one baby into 3!
"Holy crap!" Ardyn shouted as he Musashi, and Luz freaked at what he was seeing.
The three babies all chirped and flapped their wings as they flew into the air. The original then started breathing fire, causing everyone to run away from the couch, which is the unfortunate target.
Ardyn quickly backed away to the door with Luz and Musashi leaving first. "Right, well you continue your parenting adventure. Bye," He said, closing the door as he left with his friend.
The bats flew around knocking things off shelves and causing mayhem around Eda, Romani, and King. "Uh, for, for the money?" King asked nervously as Eda held him.
"For the money?" Romani asked.
"Definity for the money," Eda said, before yelping as she and Romani ducked out of the way of a green liquid that splashed the wall.
"I just had that cleaned!"
After another long walk to the library, Ardyn, Musashi and Luz walked up the stairs and waited for Ryker, Edric and Emira. As the sun lowered down over the horizon, Ardyn focused his energy into his hands and summoned a ball of light. He sighed and leaned against the pillar while Musashi was in a Samurai Zen meditation. For a moment, he wondered why he was doing this in the first place. But then Ardyn remembered that this was the first time that anyone else wanted to hang out with him and Luz, aside from King, Eda, Romani, Musashi, Gus, and Willow.
"Okay just act cool…cool…cool." Luz said trying to make cool poses, but failing miserably.
"Uh maybe we shouldn't do that Luz." Ardyn said when he heard a familiar voice.
"Why not? I say keep going." Emira asked, making Ardyn look up to see them near the column across from them, smiling and giggling at them.
"How long were you there?" Ardyn asks as Ryker appeared behind the pillar Ardyn and Luz were.
"Long enough. Are you ready to do this?" Ryker asked as he pointed to the doors with Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz nodding at what he said.
"As ready as we'll ever be," Ardyn said as he looks at the door. "How are we getting in?"
"We've got that covered," Edric said as they walked up to the door. Stopping in front of them with Ardyn, Luz, Ryker and Emira, he pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Emira. "It says no trespassing, but I'm allergic to the rules."
"And dairy," Emira added.
"Wow, okay. Just expose me." Edric said in offence as Ryker just patted the poor boy on the back.
The paper glowed in the teenage girl's hands before Emira placed the scroll over the large keyhole on the door. Letting it crumble and burn away into ashes in front of Ardyn and Luz's eyes as he stared in amazement.
"Woah." Luz said, starry-eyed.
"That's awesome," he said.
Suddenly the lock grew until it's large enough for them to walk through. "Come on," Edric said as they walked in before the lock shrunk back down once, they all entered the lobby of the library.
"Standing in a dimly lit lobby. You guys know how to party." Luz said looking around.
Ardyn looked around the dimly lit lobby of the library. "So, what now?" He asked the twins.
"There! The Wailing Star!" Edric said, pointing to the stained-glass window over the main door. The three looked up at the window. Watching as the Wailing Star sobbed as it passed by.
"Huh," Ardyn said. So that's why it's called the Wailing Star.
The six of them look around for several seconds. But they saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Hmm. Nothing happened," Edric said.
"No... something did happened." Ryker said as he and Ardyn turned around and his eyes widened when he saw the books all around the library, on every shelf, slowly beginning glowing green. Pulling out Leviathan Axe, Ardyn approached the shelves, gaining the attention of the twins.
Unlike the twins, Luz, and Ryker; Ardyn and Musashi could feel the magic radiating off the books as he reached out for a book titled "Extinct Birds of the Boiling Isles".
He opened it up to see what was going on with it, only to be forced into dropping the book when something suddenly shot out of it almost immediately. It remained open when it hit the floor as Ardyn and Musashi got into a fighting stance. However, to his amazement, several unique-looking birds came flying out of the book. They fly around the lobby as Ardyn lowered Leviathan Axe, staring at birds with wide eyes.
"Wow!" Emira said as she and her brother stared at the birds.
Ardyn looked down at the book he dropped and closed it before picking it up. At that moment, they all disappeared into thin air.
"The Wailing Star is bringing the books to life," Ardyn said in realization. The five of them shared a look and then grinned.
The five of then went off to go and explore the library. The first place they went to was the magazine section, where Edric grabbed an article of "Regal Couture." He opened the magazine and the magic of the Wailing Star dressed him and Emira in fancy clothing as a peacock flew out of the pages. Ardyn grabbed an issue of "Witch Wares Weekly". He opened the magazine and clothes were transformed into a warrior of Norse legends while Ryker's outfit became a sort of Steampunk outfit with multiple gears, a top hat and a cane while Luz got a sword of adventurer outfit with a giant sword that made her fall to the ground because it was so heavy.
"Luz are you okay?" Ardyn asks as he helps her up.
"You make walking around with a weapon on your back easy." Luz groans as she looked towards Musashi as she didn't change styles. "Why didn't you change."
"Why though? I like what I got on!" Musashi said with a big grin on her face causing the two teen to have a good laugh at her comedy.
The six of them were now standing next to the graphic novel section. Grabbing one of the books from the shelf, Ardyn opened it. He was expecting superheroes and villains to come flying out of the pages and do battle in front of him. However, nothing came from the comic.
"Nothing happened," he said, only for his words to appear in a dialogue bubble that formed from his mouth. They all gasp when it appeared, with the twins taking steps back.
"Wow!" Edric and Emira said in amazement. That too came out in a word bubble. Both of their bubbles popped when Ardyn closed the book, a "THUMP" sound bubble appearing as he did so.
A moment later, the three of them were having a free-for-all snowball fight. Each having a copy of "Snowballs, a History."
Why anyone would write a 400-page book about snowball was beyond Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz's understanding.
Ardyn hid behind the corner of a shelf as Edric walked by. Jumping out of cover, Ardyn opened the book and a barrage of snowballs pelted the teenage Blight boy. Hitting him and making him fall to the ground before Edric fired back at him. The Hybrid managed to get away from the brother and thought that he was safe for a second before Emira appeared behind him, opening her own copy directly in Ardyn's face. Pelleting him with snowballs as she laughed. Soon after, Emira felt someone tapping her shoulder and turned to see Luz and Musashi with their own copies opened and pelted her with snowballs as well. Luz and Musashi was about leave but were assaulted by snowballs from above, showing Ryker with a toothpick his mouth as he grinned.
"Groovy."
Taking cover inside the kid's corner, Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz hid behind the same shelf when he watched Amity. When Ryker, Edric and Emira ran past the kid's corner, laughing happily, Ardyn stood up and was about to walk out of the room when he turned around. That was when he noticed "Otabin the Bookmaker." The same kid book Amity had read to the kids early that day. It was still on the table, glowing in the magic of the Wailing Star.
Walking over to it, Ardyn picked up the book. When he opened it, the character Otabin rose up out of the pages. The little creature looked up at the Hybrid, Servant and Human as they smiled down at him.
Back at the Owl House, Romani was running around, trying to stop the bat babies from causing any more damage to the living. One of the baby bats was holding a mace in its claws as it flew over his head.
"Baby! No! Don't do that!" He yelled worriedly, looking exhausted.
Another baby poured a green potion out on the floor. "No, don't do that!" Romani yelled before Eda grabbed her and pulled her down with herself and King. The two were hiding from the babies under the turned-over couch.
"What silences children?" King asked the others. "What if we invent a TV network for ages six to 11-"
"No! That's impossible! It can't be done!" Romani exclaimed. He looked around, trying to think of a solution to their problem when he spotted a copy of "Otabin the Bookmaker". Picking up the book and seeing that it was a kid's book, he started getting an idea.
"I see what you're thinking," Eda said with a smirk, before reaching into her hair and pulling out a switchblade dagger.
"Woah! Woah! That's not what I had in mind!" Romani exclaimed, fearing the worst.
"What? I was just going to cut up some apple slices," Eda said, slicing a few random apples into pieces on a plate. "You can't have story time without apple slices."
Romani sighed in relief before holding the book out for Eda. The Owl Lady looked at her friend with an upset look, but ended up accepting the book.
"All right, brats. Let's do this," Eda said, flipping the couch back over and sitting down on it with Romani sitting next to her. "Ugh. Being parental is making me sick."
The baby bats all sit on the floor, with King joining them, holding the plate of apple slices. Eda sighed and opened the book, before she started to read to them.
While at the same time, Luz started reading too. "'Otabin spend his days alone amongst the many books he'd sewn. With needle and thread, the pages he mend. But all the while he longed for a friend.'"
"Friend?" Otabin asked, perking up as he threaded a needle with string.
Ardyn smiled and petted the little creature on the head. "Yeah, I'm a friend," he said to him, having known what it was like to have not many friends with only a few exceptions.
"Hey guys! Check this out!" said Edric as he and his sister walked into the kid corner with another kid's book.
"Where's Ryker?" Ardyn asked.
"He went to the restroom. Anyway, look what we discovered," Emira said, holding up the book called 'Quacks Eats Snacks.' She opened it and a duck swam out of the pages and landed on the floor. The baby duck quacked happily as it moved around before looking at the group. Giving them an innocent and friendly smile.
"Aww, what a cute little duck," Luz said with a smile.
But then Emira held the book out to Edric, who pulled out a pencil. The Blight male drew a pair of human legs on the duck in the book. Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz watched in shock as the duck suddenly grew matching giant human legs. Making the poor animal quack hysterically and in panic.
"What the hell!?" Ardyn yelled.
"Now he's extra cute," Emira said, closing the book as the duck vanished into thin air. While Ardyn, Musashi and Luz were still shocked, the twins laughed before turning to them.
"What? That was horrible," Ardyn exclaimed.
"Ah come on, Ardyn. It's not like it's real. It's just a book," Edric said with a shrug.
"Why don't you give it a try, Ardyn," Emira asked.
But Ardyn backed away from them. "I don't know. Aren't we supposed to be finding something you were looking for?"
"And we will. Come on. Don't stop the fun," urged Edric as he offered his pencil.
Ardyn looked at the pencil as he grew more hesitant. In the end, he sighed and took the pencil. "I'm only doing this so we can get this over with," he said, opening Otabin's book to the drawing of him on the page. Ardyn then drew on him a pair of socks and shoes. "There. Now he has something for his feet."
"Yeah, but what about this?" Edric grabbed his hand and started making him draw. Giving Otabin angry eyebrows and claws.
After yanking his hand back, Ardyn saw something start to rise out of the pages before the Hybrid slammed it closed. "Alright, that's enough. Let's just grab your book and go," he said, looking upset at the twin.
"Whatever. Come on." Emira grabbed Ardyn's hand and led him away, making the blonde boy drop the book face down and open. Luz and Musashi looked at this with a small glare as they followed them.
As they walked away, neither one of them realized this, and what they had just unleashed. A clawed hand grew out of the book, and whatever it was started to growl.
Soon, they were standing in front of the romance section.
"The romance section," Ardyn asked, pulling a book off the shelf and looking at the cover. "I definitely didn't peg you two to be the type to be into this stuff. Of course, I don't mean that in a bad way."
"Yeah. What he said." Luz said.
"Sure, but I think I'm into this one," Edric said, as he grabbed and pulled a book titled The Lone Witch & Secret Room.
This made something click inside the wall before he put it back in. Suddenly the bookshelf sank back into the wall and slid to the side, revealing a secret room. It wasn't dusty at all and it was rather nice inside. With two shelves with books, a carpet on the floor, stars and planets hanging from the ceiling, and a table that had a chair and several items.
"Wow that's a good book." Luz said when Ardyn looks inside.
"Wow is right," Ardyn said as he walked in, looking around the room while the twins leaned against the entrance. The Saber Servant then noticed a candle that was still lit.
"Someone's been in here. Does this secret clubhouse belong to anyone?" Musashi asked as the twin begun to chuckle.
"Yeah, someone that likes hanging out in a library," Edric said before talking in a joking tone. "'Uh, teacher, I'm in love with a dictionary.'"
"'I'm studying the dork arts.'" Emira added, following her brother in the same tome. "This is Amity's secret hideaway."
Upon hearing this, Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz turned towards them. Not liking where this was going. "Amity? Then why are we here?" He asked as he frowned.
"You see, Ardyn. Mittens has gotten too... full of herself," Edric said as he and Emira walked over to him. Standing on both sides of Ardyn and Luz as he placed his hand on Ardyn's shoulder. "She keeps tattling on us when we cut class."
"She needs to learn not to mess with people like that," Emira said, putting her hand on Luz's back. "So, we're going to find her diary."
"And then post the pages all around school for everyone to see," Edric finished as they both started laughing together.
But Ardyn didn't find it amusing at all. Not one bit. "Are you serious? That's just messed up and taking it way too far!" He yelled at them, swatting Edric's hand away from his body.
"Yeah! Isn't that taking it a bit too far?" Luz asks doing the same with Emira.
"No. See, we're her family. It's tough love. She needs to learn to lighten up," Emira explained, before the twins start to look around the hideout.
"Yeah, well I didn't sign up for this! Luz! Musashi! Let's go!" Ardyn exclaimed, turning to leave. However, when he did so, he stopped when something caught his line of view. "Wait, are those…?"
He walked to a shelf and was amazed to see The Good Witch Azura Books 1-4 as well as a large collection of Manga and graphic novels, including Dragonball Z, Fairy Tail, Attack on Titan, Watchmen, and other books he didn't think to see it this world. Hell, she even had the Dark Tower books.
"Woah! You get these on the Boiling Isles?" Luz asked, walking over to the shelf, and looked at the Azura novels, and saw she didn't have book 5. Ardyn then noticed something next to the four books. It was a book. Likely over 200 pages. But it wasn't like the book series. He pulled it out and looked at it. The cover had a drawing of Amity dressed as Azura. Looking back to make sure the twins weren't facing his direction, Ardyn opened it.
The pages had some writing on them, before a small version of Amity rose from the pages. "I saw that… Hybrid and Human again," Amity said, causing Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz to gasp.
"The diary." Musashi said in a concern tone.
"I may have overreacted. I don't want to come off as cruel. I know they're trying to be nice, but I just can't show weakness."
"Oh no." Luz said as she turned to Ardyn who had a look of concern on his face. "We got to hide it quickly."
Ardyn quickly closed it shut. "Yeah, but where can we-" he said.
"What've you got there?" Edric asked causing Ardyn and Luz to jump.
Ardyn quickly hid the diary behind him. "Oh. N‐Nothing. Just a Good Witch Azura 5 where she goes through her Goth phase," he said. But then the diary glowed blue and flew out of his hands. "Hey! Stop!"
But the twins didn't listen and Emira caught the diary and handed it to Edric, who opened it. Another mini-Amity appeared. "It's not fair. I'm the only one who knows Ed and Em aren't perfect. Why do they keep getting away with things?"
"This is it," said the twins with a smile.
"Ardyn? Luz? Musashi? Were you hiding this from us?" Emira asked, shocked by the two's action.
"You're damn right we were!" Ardyn retorted angrily. "This is wrong, you guys."
"But you see how she treats people. How she treats you and Luz," Edric said as they approached Luz and Ardyn.
"Yeah, I do. Amity can be kind of jerk, but these are her private thoughts. Now give me back the diary." Ardyn grabbed the diary and tried to pull it away, but Edric didn't let go. Soon, they were both pulling at it in a tug of war, with Emira tugging Edric's waist while Luz and Musashi did the same.
"You want this diary; you're going to have to do better than that!" Ardyn grunted, struggling to pull it away. "You can't do this to her!"
"She needs this! It's for her own good," Emira argued.
"HOW THE HELL IS THIS FOR HER OWN GOOD?!" Ardyn roared as he then kicked Edric in the stomach and knocked him back. But even though the diary was now his, pages of it spilled onto the floor. From those pages came more mini-Amity. "Oh no!"
"'I wish I had somewhere to go.'"
"'Why won't the human and hybrid leave me alone?'"
"'Called my teacher mom again.'"
"'Sorry I haven't written for a while. Wait, why am I apologizing?'"
"Damn it!" Ardyn cursed as the pages repeated themselves. He got down with Luz and hurriedly tried to pick them all up.
"Really?" yelled a familiar voice. They all turned to see Amity standing at the entrance of the hideaway with Ryker standing behind her with a guilty look on his face. Her face was all red in fury and embarrassment.
"Amity?! Wha-What are you doing here?" Ardyn asked nervously.
"I overheard Edric and Emira's plan to come back tonight with you and the Human," Amity said, growling out her words as she glared into Ardyn's eyes. She glared at her older siblings as they held back their laughter. "I should have known they'd pull something like this."
"Amity, I swear it's not what you think," Luz said, standing up with the diary and all the pages that fell out.
"Save it." Amity angrily took her diary from Ardyn. She then had a face that was a mixture of anger and hurt. "They're horrible, but you? You two are worse. All this time I've been trying to figure out what your deal is. Are you posers? Nerds? Some all-powerful beings? Did you even mean all those things you said, Ardyn? You say that you don't want to hurt me, but that's all you've been doing. Now I know what you two really are."
Amity looked at Ardyn and Luz straight in their eyes.
"You both are just bullies."
Ardyn and Luz were shocked and hurt by her words as she took her diary and ran off. "Amity, wait!" He called out to her and started going after her. But Amity didn't listen, running away from Ardyn and Luz. They stopped when the two exited the hideaway and stared at the green-haired girl as she turned around a corner and disappeared.
All the while, Edric and Emira were both laughing at their sister's misfortune. "Mittens killed the fun," Emira said as they walked out of the room.
"Again," Edric said before shrugging. "Oh, well. We're headed out to go goblin‐tipping. Want to come?"
"You're just going to leave her like that?" Ardyn asks surprised on how petty these two are.
"Yeah, with you three." Emira said grabbing his arm, only to be surprised when he yanks his arm from her with a glare that caused her to back up.
"No thanks. I think I've had enough for one day." Ardyn said with a growl, but stops as Luz and Musashi places a hand on both of his shoulders to calm him down.
"Look you guys are cool." Luz said causing them to smile. "But we're going to go help Mittens- I mean Amity."
"Whatever, see you round." Emira winks before she and her brother left.
"I'll talk with them. Go find Amity." Ryker said as the two nodded as he leaves the two be. Ardyn sighed, trying to calm down. He and Luz then turned and ran off to find Amity in the library.
Meanwhile, Amity was sitting alone against one of the hundreds of bookshelves. She was curled up in a ball while trying to hold back her tears. But some ended up coming out. Her diary was the one thing she felt safe to let out all her feelings and secrets. And now it wasn't even safe in the one place she felt safe being in. Safer and even her own home.
"Amity!" Called out Ardyn's voice. Hearing the hybrid, Amity snarled and looked to the side. "Amity! Where are you!"
"Go away!" She yelled.
"Amity, we just want to talk!" Luz looked down one aisle but didn't see her.
"First you embarrass me! Then you want to be my friend?! I don't get you, you two! Pick a side!" Amity yelled back, not noticing the sound of large footsteps coming her way
"Please, just listen to me! I didn't know that they were after your diary! I never would have agreed to do anything they were planning to do!" Ardyn yelled, trying to figure out where she could be.
"Just shut up and go away, before things somehow get worse!" Amity screamed, getting up to run away when the sound of the loud and heavy footsteps was now ever closer. Shaking the ground as something large, approached Amity, who stared at it in terrified silence.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" Amity's scream echoed throughout the library, startling Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz making them realize that she was in terrible danger.
"I'm coming, Amity!" He yelled, running in the direction the scream came from. When the three turned the corner, Ardyn, Musashi and Luz ran down the aisle before skidding to a sudden stop when they saw something truly horrifying.
Holding Amity in its claws was a monstrous creature that snarled viciously. It had a large body with long arms with razor-sharp claws, fang-like teeth, and two large legs, and a long tail. The toes of its large foot were sticking out of a pair of shoes. However, right in the middle of its chest where its heart could be heard beating loudly. When Ardyn looked closer, he saw an open book that acted like its beating heart. The book showed the page showed Otabin after Edric forced him to draw on him.
"Wait, Otabin?" Luz asked in shock, seeing the lovable book character turned into a terrifying monster.
"With claws and fangs and breaking bones, I found a friend to make my own," Otabin said in a deep voice and turned around with Amity still in his claws.
"Ardyn! Luz!" Amity screamed.
"Amity! Let her go!" Ardyn yelled as charged at Otabin with Leviathan Axe. But the monster saw him coming and used his hand to swat Ardyn away. Sending him crashing hard into a wall before he fell to the ground with a thud.
"Ardyn!" Amity screamed when she saw him get hurt, but Otabin ran off.
Ardyn groaned in pain as he got up from the impact. Checking to see if he was bleeding, Ardyn looked to see Otabin was gone and so was Amity. Grabbing Leviathan Axe, he walked over to where the witch's dairy laid on the floor and gathered it and the pages that fell out.
They then began to chase after Otabin, but stopped as they felt the world halted in time. Two spheres, one red and one white, appeared in front of them as it was calling them. Ardyn and Luz looked towards each other and nodded as they grabbed their respective orbs.
"Install: Assassin/ Rider." A bright light surrounded the two.
Elsewhere in the kids' corner, Amity was slammed against a giant book that was crafted by Otabin. Holding her in place, the monstrous book character brought out a large needle that was threaded with a giant ball of thread. He raised the needle and lowered it in Amity's direction. The witch yelped and turned away, thinking that he was going to stab her. However, instead of killing her, he wrapped her arms and fingers with the glowing green sting.
Otabin pulled the thread and sewed her arm into the book. Becoming part of the paper itself. "Why are you doing this? I've been reading you since I was a kid. I know you're not like this. Someone changed you," she told the book character.
"But friends are what I've always sought. And now a friend my claws have caught," the monster said, before a loud bang was heard as his needle was shot out of his hand. Otabin growled as he turned around to see Musashi, Ardyn, and Luz standing at the doorway, but they look different. Ardyn image change to that of another form with pieces of armor on his body, bandages over his face and wears a blood-red hood. He carries a M9 bayonet in his right hand while carrying a human weapon known as a gun in his left hand. Luz took on a beautiful form who possesses silver hair, cat ears and a long white tail. Her clothes are designed for cold winters but looked like she wasn't bother by it. The two things that stood out from her is a giant silver axe and a creature standing next to her: a blue-eyed white dragon the size of a horse
The turned Hybrid reloaded his gun as he and 'Luz' bravely stood up to the monster with the dragon letting loose a growl.
"Ardyn? Luz?" Amity asked, shocked to see them coming to save her.
"Otabin, you have to stop this!" Musashi yelled, walking towards the monster with two katanas in both hands, ready to fight him if necessary.
Otabin grinned as he, 'Ardyn', and 'Luz' started circling each other. "Making friends, taking friends, never being without my friends," said the monster.
"…Okay, first, you can't rhyme friends with friends," 'Ardyn' said.
"Focus!" Both Amity, Musashi and 'Luz' said.
"Right, sorry." 'Ardyn' said as he was about to continue talking to Otabin when the monster lunged at him. He dodged under a grab for him before slashing into Otabin's chin.
"GAH!" Otabin grunted in pain as he held his chin and shut his eyes as 'Ardyn' landed hits on his knee and hip. Otabin tried to claw at him, but the Hybrid dodged and 'Luz' advances forward with her axe as she got on her dragon at the same time. With a power swing, the dragon swung his tail Otabin in the face. Sending him crashing against the wall in a disoriented state. Giving Musashi, 'Ardyn', and 'Luz' the time to help Amity.
"You alright?" He asked with a determined scowl.
Amity blushed a bit. "Y-Yeah! I'm fine."
"Alright, hang on! I'm going to cut you loose," 'Ardyn' said, using his knife to cut the threats holding her.
Otabin started to get back up with an angry snarl.
"Let's go!" 'Ardyn' shouted, quickly grabbing Amity's hand and the four got on the dragon to make a run for it.
"Come back!" Otabin shouted as he got up and started chasing after the four 'friends'.
'Ardyn', 'Luz', and Amity escaped as fast as they could through the library. After a few seconds of running, they ducked behind a small shelf with the dragon taking flight to have a higher advantage. "Okay first off. Who are you two and how did this happen?" Amity asked, looking over the top of the shelf.
"I'm EMIYA, Assassin-Class Servant and the Rider-Class Servant is Dobrynya Nikitich. My Master might have something to do with it," Ardyn, now know as EMIYA, said while scratching his chin.
"Damn it, why am I not surprised," Amity said with snark.
"Hey! It was your ass of a brother that did it, okay. Your siblings figured out that whatever you write or draw in the books comes to life as well!" Dobrynya whispered to her as Amity ducked back down. "EMIYA's Master just wanted to give him shoes. Edric was the one that made him a monster."
Amity sighed. Figured her brother and sister would be the cause of all this. "Alright, what's the plan?"
"…We don't have a plan" EMIYA winched.
"Say what?!" Amity whispered loudly.
"Uh, yeah we had a plan! Our plan was to get you out of that book, and it worked. We didn't even think it would work. We were just, you know, winging it, okay?" Musashi said with a sweatdrop. Amity stared at the three for a second, before smiling and starting to chuckle. She didn't know why she was laughing in a dangerous situation like this, but she couldn't help but laugh. Seeing her laugh made the Heroic Spirits smile as EMIYA reached into his pocket and pulled out Amity's diary. He tore out one of the blank pages and handed the diary back to her. Then EMIYA started writing on it.
"The hero corrects a mistake." He wrote and suddenly a giant magic eraser the size of the paper appeared. Grabbing it and his knife, EMIYA looked at Amity while giving her book back. "We'll stay and take care of Otabin. You get out of here while you can."
"Are you crazy? You three can't fight him alone!" Amity protested.
"We can handle this," Dobrynya said with a kind smile as her dragon mount returned to her as she gets on the dragon.
"Beside... This isn't our first rodeo dealing with monsters. Trust us." Musashi said with a smile on her face.
Amity stared at them for a moment, shocked and amazed they was willing to risk his life. Before she could say anything to stop him, the three Heroic Spirits got up and ran. "Wait!"
Meanwhile, Otabin was still searching the library for the others while carrying his book. He wasn't willing to stop until he had them in his book and with him forever. He growled as he looked around for them. "Hide you may, friends to be, but will not escape from me!"
"Then we wouldn't hide anymore."
Otabin turned around and saw EMIYA and Musashi standing a few meters away from him. The Heroic Spirit of Assassination and Heroic Spirit of the Sword glared at the monster with their respective weapons in hand while EMIYA is carrying the erasure in his left. Dobrynya was above them with her dragon snarling at the changed creature. Otabin narrowed his eyes and snarled at the three Heroic Spirit. Dropping the book and smiling creepily at EMIYA, Musashi and Dobrynya.
"Let's go," EMIYA said, raising his bayonet knife a bit as Otabin and Musashi charged at one another, with the monster swiping his hand to grab the young woman. But Musashi dodged the attack and slashed at his hand. Otabin grunted in pain as he held his hand as Musashi slashed and cut into the monster, before Otabin clawed at Musashi. The Heroic Spirit of the Sword ducked under it and dodged a second attack. She then swung her katanas at Otabin's head, cuutting the book character across the face and knocking him back. Seeing his chance, EMIYA charged at Otabin. His plan was to stab his blade into the chest of the book maker, using it as a place to hang onto as he erases the pencil markings.
However, Otabin spun around and swung his tail at him. Not ready for the attack, EMIYA tried to block the attack, but was sent flying away. He skidded across the floor before stopping him in a crouching position. It was a hard hit and would have broken something in his body if he didn't block the attack with knife. However, he realized something as he grunted in pain.
EMIYA had dropped the eraser. Seeing it a few feet away, EMIYA rushed towards the eraser. But before he could get it, Otabin grabbed him. The monster then slammed EMIYA into the floor, disorienting him and almost knocking him out. The knife slipped out of his hand as Otabin lifted him up.
Otabin grabbed his book and pulled it completely toward him. Regaining his bearings, EMIYA tried to kick at his chest, hoping to kick the book out of the monster's chest. Otabin grabbed the needle and sewed around Book's arms and pulled. Making his limbs flat and merged into the paper.
"You squirm and fight, and scream and shout. But friendship always will win out," Otabin said as he sewed EMIYA's legs to the book. Most of his body was converged with the book, except for his head. EMIYA struggled to escape, but it was no use. He was completely at the mercy of Otabin. The thread wrapped around EMIYA's head and Otabin slowly pulled it tight. EMIYA closed his eyes and braced himself for his fate.
But this was not to be his fate. At the last possible second, Dobrynya came riding to the rescue on dragon. With a battle cry, she ran into Otabin with her dragon. Launching him into a bookshelf, which fell on him.
As he struggled to get out from under it, Amity arrives as she pulled the string keeping EMIYA down off the book. Freeing him and helping him stand up. "I thought we told you to get out of here," he said.
"And I told you to leave me alone," Amity said with a glare before smiling. "I guess we're not good at listening to each other."
EMIYA, Musashi and Dobrynya smiled at her sense of humor. At the same time, Otabin shoved the bookshelf off him and glared at the Servants and Amity. "We must stay friends until the end. There is no tear I cannot mend!" He said, drawing his needle as if it were a sword.
"Then let's change that." A voice spoke up as ropes of red and blue energy rapped around Otabin causing him to fall to the ground with a loud thud. The group looked up to see Ryker and the Blight twins using their magic to hold the struggling creature down.
"Ryker?!" Amity said as the Male Witch looked at her with a strained grin.
"Now your chance. Hurry!"
Seeing her chance, Amity summoned two of her Abominations. "Abominations, hold him down!" She commanded and the two sludge golems rushed towards Otabin, grabbing his arms and holding him down while Dobrynya commanded her dragon to hold Otabin down by the shoulders. "EMIYA, hurry!" Amity said, picking up the eraser off the ground and tossing it to EMIYA.
EMIYA caught the eraser and ran toward Otabin. Jumping onto his chest and landing in front of where the book was. He then used it to erase Edric's drawings on the page of the book, fixing the illustration. In an instant, Otabin returns to his innocent normal self. Dropping the eraser, EMIYA caught him before landing on the ground. Holding him with one arm, EMIYA and Dobrynya smiled at the cute little character as Amity proceeded to walk up to them.
Gently taking him from EMIYA, Amity smiled at her favorite character as he looked apologetically at her. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," he said."
"Hey, it's okay. We're still friends," Amity reassured him, cradling him like a baby.
The green-haired witch nodded to EMIYA a silent message. Understanding what she was saying, EMIYA sheathed his knife and picked Otabin's book off the ground. Closing the book and making Otabin disappear. While it made Amity sad to see him go, she looked at EMIYA, who nodded to her. The Heroic Spirit sighed in relief before looking at the book.
Walking over the table in the kid's corner, EMIYA gently placed Otabin the Bookmaker back where his Master found it.
Hours later, after cleaning up the damages in the library, Ardyn, Luz, Musashi, Ryker, Amity and the twins made their way out of the library. The Hybrid yawned and shielded his eyes from the light of the rising sun.
"Man, what a night. I think I'll stick to books coming to life as bad movies than deal with that ever again." Ardyn joked a little with a smile.
"Agreed. Let's hang out again next time!" Ryker said as the Blight Twins nodded as they were the first to head out back to their respective homes.
"This never happened," Amity said as she walked past Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz to join her siblings. After last night, she just wanted to go home.
Seeing her walk away, Luz reached into her backpack and pulled out her copy of Azura Volume 5. "Hey, wait!" She called out to her. Amity stopped as she walked up to her and showed her the book. "I saw you only have 1 through 4. I know this doesn't make up for reading your diary, but if you wanna borrow it, I'll be happy to lend it."
Amity took the book and looked at it. "Thank you," she said, holding it to her chest.
Ardyn smiled and nodded, before sighing a little. "Well, we'll get out of your hair," he said as he, Musashi, and Luz walked past her.
"Wait…" Amity said, making Ardyn and Luz to stop and turn back towards her. Walking up to them the young witch took a breath and said, "I'm sorry."
This confused the three. "Why're you apologizing for? We're the one that read your diary and nearly got us killed." Ardyn said as Amity shook her head.
"Truth, and maybe you're not a bully, but I haven't exactly been the friendliest witch either," she said, looking down in shame. "I've been thinking about what you said yesterday and you're right. I don't want us to be enemies. I'm not a hundred percent sure if I'm ready to call my friend either, but...I'll think about that."
Ardyn smiled, feeling happy to hear Amity say that. He held out his hand to her. "Thanks, Amity."
Amity glanced at the hand and then smiled at Ardyn. She grabbed him and the two shook on it.
"Even if it was a small step, it was a giant leap for them. One that could lead them to become something more." Musashi said in a low tone as Luz turned to her with a raised brow.
"What was that, Musashi?" Luz asked as Musashi just giggled.
"Nothing!"
Ardyn opened the door of the Owl House and closed it behind him, Musashi and Luz. Feeling even more exhausted from the walk back home. "Hey, guys. We're back." Ardyn said as he, Musashi, and Luz came into the house. When they looked around, the three stopped when they looked at the couches.
Everyone was fast asleep and snoring peacefully on the green couch. Eda was holding the baby bats in her arms with King sleeping on her lap. Romani was on the other couch as he woke up and looked to the two kids and Servant.
"Welcome back. Did you have a good time?" Romani asked with a tired smile on his face as Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz nodded as they place their backpacks down.
Suddenly the moment was shattered when Hooty slammed the door open. "Ding dong!" He screamed.
"AH!" Ardyn yelled in surprise, pulling out Leviathan Axe before realizing it was Hooty. "Damnit Hooty! What the hell…" His sentence came to a halt when something large started to come through the door.
Stepping back, Ardyn held his axe in a fighting stance as the object crawled into the living room. It was soon revealed to be a giant human head with wings and legs connected to it. Her face had Asian characteristics, with long dark hair, black lips, and red eyes. She also had fangs and talons.
Ardyn, Musashi, and Luz looked at the giant bat creature with wide eyes before glancing at the sleeping babies then back at her. "Uh, are you the mother?" Luz asked
"Yi Yi. Mama is I. And I is the Bat Queen," the Bat Queen said before whistling loudly. Surprisingly it didn't wake Eda and King. But it did wake her babies. The baby bats flew away from the Owl Lady's arms. They came to their mother and settled into Bat Queen's hair. "Aah! Snuggle dumplings. I hope they cause little trouble"
"No. Not at all, Bat Queen-dono!" Musashi said as she gave off a quick bow with Ardyn and Luz doing the same, causing the Bat Queen to give off a soft laugh. Then the giant bat demon threw up a large treasure red chest that opened to reveal several hundred snails. The Bat Queen spat out an Aztec death whistle on top of the snails.
"For troubles. Eda is owed one," she said before squeezing back out of the doorway and flying away. Ardyn, Musashi and Luz watched her before closing the door and looking at the chest of snails.
"Yeah, that's all getting washed," he mumbled.
"Agreed." Luz, Romani, and Musashi said at the same time.
"Ah. Sweet babies," Eda muttered in her sleep. The Owl Lady tried to pull the bat babies closer but couldn't feel them in her arms. She opened her eyes and realized they were gone. "Babies? Where are the babies?" She asked, immediately waking up with King as he looked for them with her.
"Their mom came and picked them up," Ardyn said, taking the Leviathan Axe off and setting it against the couch.
"Oh. And I just taught Junior how to pick locks too," Eda said, feeling sad that the babies were gone.
"Yeah, but at least your night was more successful than mine. Look at all that money you made," Luz said, gesturing to the chest. She held up the spit-covered whistle. "The Bat Queen even gave you this. I'd wash it before you use it."
She tossed it to Eda, which bounced off her chest and into her lap. The Owl Lady picked it up and stared at it with a frown. "Yeah. We did it all for the money."
"I miss my babies!" King sobbed as Romani quickly picked him up and hugged him.
"Stay strong, King. You'll make it through this." The male Witch said with a small smile on his face.
"Shut up! Don't touch me!" King said, even though he hugged him back.
Ardyn picked up his backpack and pulled out a book. "Well, I got this from the library. Maybe it can help," he said, handing it to Eda. The book was titled 'Coping with Empty Nest Syndrome.'
Romani placed King back down. "So, how was your night? Did you have fun with Amity's siblings?"
"Turns out they were a bunch of jerks that were going to do something really mean to Amity," Ardyn said, frowning before smiling a little. "But on the bright side, I think we might actually be making progress with Amity."
The door squeaked open. "Hey, you want to hear about my night?"
"NO!" Ardyn, Luz, Romani, Musashi, and Eda yelled all at once.
"That's not a thing anyone ever wants!" said King.